1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a transmitting apparatus and a transmitting method, a receiving apparatus and a receiving method and a distribution medium and particularly to a transmitting apparatus and a transmitting method, a receiving apparatus and a receiving method and a distribution medium for encoding and transmitting digital audio signals of a plurality of parts and then receiving and decoding such digital audio signals in the receiving side to control the signals at a time for each group.
2. Description of Related Art
On the occasion of transmitting a digital audio signal to the receiving side from the transmitting side, for example, through a network such as the Internet, the audio signal is in general encoded with high efficiency up to about {fraction (1/10)} to {fraction (1/100)} and is then transmitted as the encoded data from the transmitting side and such encoded data is then decoded and reproduced at the receiving side.
Meanwhile, the audio signal offered through the network is generally a monaural signal or a stereo signal in which the sounds of a plurality of musical instruments and voices (of songs) are mixed. Therefore, it is possible, for example, to adjust to increase or decrease the sound volume in the right or left side in the receiving side but it is impossible to adjust to increase or decrease the sound volume of a certain musical instrument or a certain voice of song.
However, it is now requested in the receiving side to offer the service of higher user interactivity (offer of an audio signal having higher flexibility) in which, for example, only the sound volume of a certain musical instrument or voice is adjusted and moreover only the vocal part or accompaniment is intensified or the sounds of only several musical instruments are mixed.
In order to realize such service, the audio signals of a plurality of musical instruments and audio signals of voices are individually transmitted without mixing thereof, and these audio signals are decoded in the receiving side, and then these are mixed after individual controls. Thereby, if it is requested in the receiving side to adjust the sound level of each part, it is possible, as illustrated in FIG. 30, to receive the audio signal of each part of xe2x80x9cdrumxe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9cbassxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cpercussionxe2x80x9d and then to mix these audio signals after individual control of the sound volume of each part.
However, the method explained above has a problem that it is possible to realize fine control of each part and the control manipulation in the receiving side is complicated.
Therefore, it has been proposed that a plurality of parts are grouped. In this method, for example, grouping is performed, as illustrated in FIG. 31, a plurality of parts belonging to the same group is assigned to the same track (channel). In an example of FIG. 31, a part 1 and a part 2 are grouped and are assigned to the track 1. Moreover, a part 1 and a part 3 are grouped and are assigned to the track 2. The part belonging to each track (group) changes from time to time. The track land track 2 are respectively independent and can be controlled individually.
Track control in the receiving side is performed in the structure illustrated in FIG. 32. A user supplies a track number (Tr. No.) and a control signal corresponding thereto to a selecting means 121 via an input means not illustrated. The selecting means 121 selects the track control means 122-i (i=1, 2 or 3) corresponding to the track No. supplied from the track control means 122-1 to 122-3 and supplies the control signal to the selected track control means 122-i. The track control means 122-i processes the track data based on the supplied control signal to output the processed track data. The track control means 122-i processes for all parts of the supplied track.
For example, in the example of FIG. 33, the parts of xe2x80x9cdrumxe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9cbassxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cpercussionxe2x80x9d are grouped under xe2x80x9crhythmxe2x80x9d during the period between the times T1 and T3 and are assigned to the track 1. Moreover, the part of xe2x80x9cdrumxe2x80x9d is assigned to the track 2 as the xe2x80x9cdrum-soloxe2x80x9d during the period T2. Since respective tracks are independent, if the sound level of track 1 is controlled, for example, during the period T1, the sound level of track 2 is never controlled. Therefore, here rises a problem, in this case, that the sound level of xe2x80x9cdrum-soloxe2x80x9d of the track 2 relatively changes, during the period T2, in comparison with the sound level of xe2x80x9cdrumxe2x80x9d during the period T1 and therefore the sound of xe2x80x9cdrumxe2x80x9d becomes unnatural.
Moreover, in an example of FIG. 34, the parts xe2x80x9cdrumxe2x80x9d, xe2x80x9cbassxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cpercussionxe2x80x9d are grouped as xe2x80x9crhythmxe2x80x9d and assigned to track 1. In addition, the parts xe2x80x9cdrumxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cpercussionxe2x80x9d are grouped as xe2x80x9cpercussion instrumentsxe2x80x9d and are assigned to track 2. In this case, the parts xe2x80x9cdrumxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9cpercussionxe2x80x9d may be controlled in any one of the track 1 and track 2, but two of the same data are required resulting in a problem that the amount of data increases.
The present invention has been proposed considering the background explained above and it is therefore an object to provide the service of higher interactivity to assure easier control in the receiving side without increase in the amount of data of respective parts.
According to one aspect of the present invention, a transmitting apparatus for transmitting the data obtained by encoding a digital signal to the other apparatus via a network is characterized in comprising a memory means for storing the encoded data encoded previously for each part, a reading means for reading the encoded data of the corresponding part from a memory means depending on the request from the other apparatus, a multiplexing means for multiplexing the encoded data read by the reading means and a transmitting means for transmitting the encoded data multiplexed by the multiplexing means.
According to one aspect of the present invention, a transmitting method of a transmitting apparatus for transmitting the data obtained by encoding a digital signal to the other apparatus via a network is characterized in comprising the steps of a storing step for storing the encoded data encoded previously for each part, a reading step for reading the encoded data of the corresponding part, a multiplexing step for multiplexing the encoded data read in the reading step and transmitting step for transmitting the encoded data multiplexed in the multiplexing data.
According to one aspect of the present invention, a distribution medium is characterized in providing a computer-readable program for executing the processes including the steps of a storing step for storing the encoded data encoded previously for each part to the transmitting apparatus for transmitting the encoded data obtained by encoding a digital signal to the other apparatus via a network, a reading step for reading the encoded data of the corresponding part based on the request from the other apparatus, a multiplexing step for multiplexing the encoded data read in the reading step and transmitting step for transmitting the encoded data multiplexed in the multiplexing step.
According to one aspect of the present invention, a receiving apparatus for receiving the encoded data obtained by encoding a digital signal via a network is characterized in comprising a receiving means for receiving the encoded data, a separating means for separating the encoded data received by the receiving means into the encoded data for each part and the control information including a group ID, a decoding means for decoding the encoded data separated by the separating means, a management means for administrating the part corresponding to the group ID separated by the separating means, a setting means for setting the group of the part administrated by the management means to the predetermined group and a control means for controlling the encoded data decoded by the decoding means based on the group ID set by the setting means.
According to one aspect of the present invention, a receiving method of a receiving apparatus for receiving the encoded data obtained by encoding a digital signal via a network is characterized in comprising the steps of a receiving step for receiving the encoded data, a separating step for separating the encoded data received by the receiving step into the encoded data for each part and a control information including the group ID, a decoding step for decoding the encoded data separated by the separating step, a management step for administrating the part corresponding to the group ID separated by the separating step, a setting step for setting the group of the parts administrated by the management step to the predetermined group and a control step for controlling the encoded data decoded by the decoding step based on the group ID set by the setting step.
According to one aspect of the present invention, a distribution medium is characterized in providing, to a receiving apparatus for receiving, via a network, the encoded data obtained by encoding a digital signal, a computer-readable program for executing the processes including the steps of a receiving step for receiving the encoded data, a separating step for separating the encoded data received by the receiving step into the encoded data for each part and control information including the group ID, a decoding step for decoding the encoded data separated by the separating step, a management step for administrating the part corresponding to the group ID separated by the separating step, a setting step for setting the group of part administrated by the management step and a control step for controlling the encoded data decoded by the decoding step based on the group ID set by the setting step.
According one aspect of the present invention, in a transmitting apparatus, a transmitting method and a distribution medium, the encoded data encoded previously for each part is stored, the encoded data of corresponding part is read based on the request from the other apparatus, the readout encoded data is multiplexed and the multiplexed encoded data is transmitted.
According to one aspect of the present invention, in a receiving apparatus, a receiving method and a distribution medium, the encoded data is received, the received encoded data is separated into the encoded data for each part and control information including the group ID, the separated encoded data is decoded, the part corresponding to the separated group ID is administrated, the group of the administrated part is set to the predetermined group, and the decoded encoded data is controlled based on the preset group ID.